Video: Differences of 2020 vs 2019 Kia Niro EV

Andre Laurence

Andre Laurence

Active Member
If you have wondered what the differences are for the 2020 model year of the Kia Niro EV (e-Niro) versus the 2019 model, I made this comparison video that shows things in detail. If you have any questions, please let me know.
FYI: I forgot to include a picture I took of the motor model, this 2020 was delivered on May 18th 2020 and has the 710 motor.

 
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Thanks for the video. Are you aware that in the 2019 user manual there are some special multi button key sequences to control the auto humidity and defog? You have the features, just that the UI sucks because you will never remember the sequences.
 
mf989 said:
Thanks for the video. Are you aware that in the 2019 user manual there are some special multi button key sequences to control the auto humidity and defog? You have the features, just that the UI sucks because you will never remember the sequences.
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Yes, I was told by a viewer so I looked it up in the manual and as you said, it sucks, I will never remember the button combination and number of seconds, or whatever it was. It should have been put in the touchscreen like the 2020. Oh well, at least it isn't something you change often.
 
The lack of exterior differences is surprising, I thought the fog/driving lights and below the rear bumper faux skid plate were re-designed for 2020. Maybe they are different in the USA?
 
mf989 said:
The lack of exterior differences is surprising, I thought the fog/driving lights and below the rear bumper faux skid plate were re-designed for 2020. Maybe they are different in the USA?
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The cars in Canada and the US are identical physically. The only real differences are options vs trim level.
 
ArcticCoastie said:
I haven't seen the video yet, but a HUGE difference b/w U.S. and Canadian cars is that LED Headlights are unavailable at any price in the U.S. They only exist in the HEV and PHEV models here. Unfortunate.
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That is odd, I was pretty sure the Niro EV EX Premium in the US had LED headlights. You are sure of this?
 
Andre Laurence said:
That is odd, I was pretty sure the Niro EV EX Premium in the US had LED headlights. You are sure of this?
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Unless they changed it in the 2020 model year, you are definitely correct about that. It was one of the reasons I was sorely tempted to buy the EX Premium (although I ultimately decided against it).
 
Andre Laurence said:
That is odd, I was pretty sure the Niro EV EX Premium in the US had LED headlights. You are sure of this?
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I am 1000% sure. I just spend 8 weeks doing research and pricing out both 2019 and 2020 Niro EV EX Premiums in the DC Metro area. and I just signed a lease on a 2019 EX Premium last month. Front parking sonar is also unavailable at any price on the 2019 EX premium or 2020 EX premiums. The only U.S. car that got these items was the 2019 Launch Edition package, which curiously also deleted the ventilated seats.

When I spoke to 2 of the dealers, they said that Kia is not giving them a choice on how to order them. I think it's because the US market doesn't' really give a crap about EVs, so we get the cheap configuration (i.e. no front parking sonar or LED headlights). There must be a production constraint on getting those parts, since Kia would want them to be available in markets where that type of tech is necessary to be competitive, and where buyers you know...actually buy EVs.

davidtm said:
Yes, only the launch edition. Otherwise, the Ex Premium has HID (for which NHTSA upgraded the safety rating)
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Correct on the launch edition. Incorrect on the EX Premium. I have a 2019 EX Premium. $46k MSRP. It came with halogen headlights that I replaced with Auxito LED low beams. No Niro EV in the U.S. ever came with HIDs.
 
ArcticCoastie said:
I am 1000% sure. I just spend 8 weeks doing research and pricing out both 2019 and 2020 Niro EV EX Premiums in the DC Metro area. and I just signed a lease on a 2019 EX Premium last month. Front parking sonar is also unavailable at any price on the 2019 EX premium or 2020 EX premiums. The only U.S. car that got these items was the 2019 Launch Edition package, which curiously also deleted the ventilated seats.

When I spoke to 2 of the dealers, they said that Kia is not giving them a choice on how to order them. I think it's because the US market doesn't' really give a crap about EVs, so we get the cheap configuration (i.e. no front parking sonar or LED headlights). There must be a production constraint on getting those parts, since Kia would want them to be available in markets where that type of tech is necessary to be competitive, and where buyers you know...actually buy EVs.



Correct on the launch edition. Incorrect on the EX Premium. I have a 2019 EX Premium. $46k MSRP. It came with halogen headlights that I replaced with Auxito LED low beams. No Niro EV in the U.S. ever came with HIDs.
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OK, that is really good to know. When I originally looked at the differences between the US and Canadian versions (made a video), the information must have been the launch edition. It is ridiculous that Kia does this type of thing, especially since Canada and the US are so close to each other and there are people who want EVs in both countries, province and state dependent, but still you would think they would build for economies of scale. Thanks for the information, and thanks to the others who posted their info as well :-)
 
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